When most people picture a "nurse hat," they imagine the stiff white cap from old photos and Halloween costumes. Real nurse caps had a long history and an important meaning, and they've since been replaced by something far more practical, and a lot more fun.
Where the nurse cap came from
Early nursing grew partly out of religious orders, where women covered their hair. As nursing became a trained profession in the 19th century, schools adopted a cap as part of the uniform. It kept hair tidy and covered, and it marked the wearer as a nurse.
What the nurse cap meant
Over time the cap became a symbol of training and achievement. Many nursing schools held a capping ceremony, where students received their cap after finishing a stage of training. Schools often had their own distinctive cap shape, so an experienced eye could sometimes tell where a nurse had trained just by looking at it. Stripes or bands on some caps showed rank or year of study.
Why nurses stopped wearing caps
Through the 1970s and 1980s, most hospitals phased out the traditional cap. A few common reasons:
- Infection control. Starched caps were hard to clean properly and could carry germs from patient to patient.
- Practicality. Caps caught on curtains and IV poles and had to be pinned in place all shift.
- A changing profession. As more men entered nursing and uniforms became more practical, the cap felt outdated. Scrubs gradually became the standard.
What nurses wear on their heads today
Today's "nurse hat" is the scrub cap. It's worn in operating rooms and procedure areas, and increasingly on other units too, to keep hair contained and out of the way. Unlike the old white cap, it's washable, comfortable, and it lets nurses show some personality.
A modern nurse cap: daisy floral Euro ponytail scrub cap. Shop this one
Modern scrub caps come in a few styles:
- Euro: a close, comfortable fit for short to medium hair.
- Euro Ponytail (bouffant): extra room for long or thick hair. Learn more in what is a bouffant cap?
- Tie Back: the classic surgical style with adjustable ties.
A classic tie back scrub cap. Shop this one
Compare them in our guide to Euro vs Euro Ponytail vs Tie Back.
Nurse caps with personality
The modern nurse cap has become a way to show off who you are: a favourite holiday, a specialty, a pet, a book series or just something that makes patients smile. Some nurses keep a different cap for every day of the week.
Womb Service, a favourite with labour and delivery nurses. Shop this one
Browse our handmade scrub caps, made to order in Oakville, Ontario by a small, RN-owned business.
FAQ
Do nurses still wear nurse hats?
Traditional white nurse caps are rarely worn today. Most nurses who cover their hair wear a washable scrub cap instead, especially in the OR and procedure areas.
When did nurses stop wearing caps?
Most hospitals phased out the traditional nurse cap during the 1970s and 1980s, as infection control and practicality became bigger priorities.
What was a nursing capping ceremony?
A ceremony where nursing students received their school's cap after finishing a stage of training. It marked their progress toward becoming a nurse.
What is the modern version of a nurse hat?
The scrub cap. It comes in Euro, Euro Ponytail (bouffant) and Tie Back styles and is often made from fun printed cotton.